Disposable douche device for feminine hygiene



Feb. 16, 1960 c. c. BREWER DISPOSABLE DOUCHE DEVICE FOR FEMININE HYGIENEFiled Oct. 13, 1958 FIGI.

INVENTOR. CLARA C. BREWER BY 4 Agent FIGG.

United States Pa n F 2,925,084 DISPOSABLE DOUCHE DEVICE FOR FEMININEHYGIENE Clara C. Brewer, Tempe, Ariz. Application October 13, 1958,Serial No.766,991

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-251)..

. This invention relates to a disposable douche device for femininehygiene and more particularly to a disposable douche device which maybepackaged in very compact form for dispensation by vending machine.

There has been a need for a compact readily usable and efficientdisposable douche device which may be dispensed by vending machines andcarried in thinbags or the like so that persons traveling may havecompact light weight accommodations.

Accordingly, it is an object of the. invention to provide a compactlight weight readily usable and disposable douche device for femininehygiene.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable douche devicefor feminine hygiene which may readily be dispensed by'a vendingmachine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable douche devicewhich is very simple and easy to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable douche devicehaving novel construction wherein a water bag has an integral thinwalled nozzle portion extending therefrom and wherein a stiffeningdevice is placed in the bag and nozzle portion to lend support thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable douche devicewhich is very compact due to the elongated shape of the water bagthereof and the manner in which the water bag may be wrapped around thenozzle portion of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable douche devicehaving an integral water bag and nozzle construction wherein the nozzleis extended at an angle from the normally lowerend of the bag therebyfacilitating the handling of the douche device.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a disposable douchedevice having a flexible plastic water which is considerably elongatedthereby providing a substantial head of Water above a nozzle integralwith the lower end of the bag so that sufficient pressure of the waterat the nozzle will be provided by the column height of water in the bag.

. A still further object of the invention is to provide a disposabledouche device in which an elongated tubular water bag is provided withan integral nozzle at its lower end whereby the bag may be held andsqueezed to provide additional pressure of the water at the nozzle.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a disposable douchedevice having an elongated flexible bag having an integral nozzle at itslower end whereby the bag is easy to fill and handle and wherebythe bagmay be folded adjacent the nozzle to shut off the water thereto untilthe flow is desired.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from thefollowing specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings inwhich:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a disposable douche device inaccordance with the present invention and showing portions thereoffragmentarily and in section to amplify the illustration. v

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken from the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken from the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken from the line 4--4ofFig. 1.

PatentedFeb. 16, 1960 Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional viewtaken from the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is aside elevational view of the disposable douche device of thepresent invention showing it in packaged form wherein the douche bag iswound helically around the nozzle portion ofthe device.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of thepresent invention showing a portion of the douche bag and illustratingthe nozzle portion of the douche device in section.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a further modifiedconstruction of the douche device in accordance with the presentinvention and showing the nozzle portion of the device in section.

Fig. 9 is a top or plan view of the douche device shown in Fig. 8 andshowing the bag portion thereof folded backwardly in transverserelationship to the nozzle portion of the bag whereby it may be rolledinto a package as shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken from the line 10-10 of Fig. 7. i

Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the douche device illustrated inFigs. 8 and 9 of the drawings and showing the bag ofthe device rolledhelically around the nozzl portion of the device; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken from the line 1212 of Fig. 8.

The disposable douche device as shown in Fig. l of the drawings andaccording to the present invention is unfolded and in position for use.This device is provided with a hollow tubular water containing bagportion 20 which has an integral hollow tubular nozzle portion 21 at itsnormally lower end. This tubular nozzle portion 21 extends atsubstantially right angles to the vertical disposition of the bagportion 20.

The bag 20 and its nozzle 21 are preferably made of a thin plasticmaterial which is flexible and which has high tensile strength. It isknown that some of the poly vinyl plastics are suitable for thispurpose.

The end 24 of the nozzle portion 21 is curved smooth so that it may beinserted into the vagina. opposite sides of this nozzle portion 21 arewater emitting openings 26. o

Disposed inside the tubular nozzle portion 21 is a stiffening member 28which is disposed to lend rigidity to the flexible tubular nozzleportion 21 so that the nozzle may readily be inserted into the vagina.This stiffening member isprovid ed with openings 30 therein whichcommunicate with opposite sides of the stiffener member and assist theflow ofwater from the bag 20 into the end of the nozzle so that thewater may flow outwardly through the openings 26 as shown best in Fig. 3of the drawings.

The stiffener may be made of sterile wood or plastic material havingsuitable rigidity to form a stiffener for the nozzle structure.

The upper end 32 of the back portion 20 is open so that it may be placedunder a faucet for the purpose of filling the bag 20.

The disposable douche device as shown in Fig. 1 may be packaged in aform disclosed in Fig. 6 of the drawings wherein the bag 20 is woundhelically around the nozzle portion of the device thereby forming a veryneat compact structure. The stifiener member provides sufiicientrigidity to permit the bar to be wound around the nozzle 3 douchepowders which will not materially increase the over all size of thepackage. 7

In operation the packaged disposable douche device may be sold over thecounter or it may be dispensed by vending machines. The: package isfirst opened by the user and the bag 20 is unwound from the nozzleportion ofthe device. The bag is unwound until only one convolution ofthe bag: remains around the nozzle portion' of thedevice; This willpermit the bag to'be'filled" with Water without leakage out through the"nozzle-and the openings 26; Whenthe' bag is partially filled withwater'the douche powders maybe placed therein and the bag'm'aybe'agitated'until thepowders are thoroughly mixed in the water.Additional water may be added tofill' the bag whereupon the'nozzl'e 2-1at its end 24' may be' inserted in the vagina and the last fold' of thebag around the nozzle is" released to permit the water to flow into thevagina and outwardly through the opening 26. During insertion of'thenozzle 21 and during dispensation of water froni the openings 26 the end34 ofthe stiffener member 28 serves as a handle.

Due to the tall column of water provided by the long small diameter bagportion 20 considerable pre'ssure 20 is provided at the openings 26"o'fthe nozzle 21. When additional pressure is required the upper end of thebag 20*may be folded over so that the bag may be squeezed to increasethe pressure of the water at the openings 26. The upper end of the bagmay be progressively folded as desired so that continuous pressure maybe applied to the water in the bag to attain thorough flushing of thevagina by water which passes outwardly through the openings 26'. Asshown in Fig. 7 of the drawings the bag 20 and nozzle 21 are similar inconstruction to that shown in Fig. .I of the drawings, however, themodified structure is provided with a loop shaped nozzle stiffener 38which is preferably made of folded material such as Wire so that thenozzle may be folded at its middle portion to permit the bag to be woundaround a short nozzles'e'ction thereby providing a very compact package.Further, the use of the wire may permit the nozzle to be somewhat longerwith a comparable packagesize. The wire may be a plastic coated wireloop so that the plastic of the nozzle 21 will not be in any Way damagedby the folding of the nozzle intermediate its ends". Malle'able wire ofthe nozzle may be unfolded after the package has been opened in order toprovide proper extension of the nozzle for use. I In the modification asshown in Figs. 8, 9, 11 and 12 the bag 20 and nozzle 21 are similar inconstruction however the stiffener member 40 of this modification isshorter than that shown in Fig, 1 of the drawings other wise theconstruction is quite similar. The short stiffener member 40' permitsthe bag 20 to be folded backwardly against the nozzle 21 as shown inFig. 9 of the drawings in order to provide a short compact package asshown in Fig. 11 of the drawings when the bag is helically wound aroundthe nozzle portion of the device. In order to hold the stiffener member40 securely in the nozzle portion 21 a fused section 42 at the lower endof the bag 20 provides an abutment for the normally rear end 44 of thestiffener member 40. With vinyl plastic construction this fused portion22 may be attained by the application of heat in the usual fashion.

It will be seen that the constructions disclosed as modifications of thepresent invention permit either the provision of a longer nozzle or amore compact packaging arrangement due to the fact that the nozzleconstruction shown in Fig. 7 may be folded whereas the nozzleconstruction shown in Fig. 8 is provided with a short stiffening memberwhich permits thenozzle to be longer with a given package size or itpermits the package to be made shorter with a given nozzle length.

Use of the modified devices as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings issimilar to that described in connec- 1. In a disposable douche devicefor feminine hygiene an elongated hollowcylindrical" bag having anintegral nozzle'portion' projecting at an angle therefrom at itslower'end, said bag and nozzle-portions of thin flexible waterproofmaterial; and a stiffener member disposed internally of said hollowtubular nozzle portion, said nozzle portion having perforations in thesides thereof near an extending end thereof. p

2. In a disposable douche device for feminine hygiene an elongatedhollow cylindrical bag having an integral 7 nozzle portion projecting atan angle therefrom at it's lower end, said b'a-g and nozzle portions ofthin flexible V waterproof material; and a stiffener membef'disposedinternally of said hollow tubular nozzle p'ortiorLsaid nozzle portionhaving perforations in the sides thereof near an extending end thereof,said bag wound around said nozzle portion and said stiffener to form acompact package. w I

3. In a disposable douche device for feminine hygiene an elongatedhollow cylindrical hagi having an integral nozzle portion proje'cting'at an angle therefrom at its lower end, said bag and nozzle portions ofthin flexible waterproof material; and a stiffener member disposedinternally of said hollow' t'ubular' nozzle portion, said nozzle portionhaving perforations in the sides thereof near an extending end thereof,said bag wound around i said nozzle portion and said stiffener to form acompact package, said stiffener member extending from one side wall ofsaid bag to the end of said nozzle.

4. In a disposable douche device for feminine hygiene an elongatedhollow cylindrical bag having an integral nozzle portion projecting atan angle therefrom at its lower end, said bag and nozzle portions ofthin flexible waterproof material; and a stiffener member disposedinternally of said hollow tubular nozzle portion, said nozzle portionhaving perforations in the sides thereof near an extending end thereof,said bag wound around said nozzle portion and said stiffener to form acompact package, said stiffener member extending from one side wall ofsaid bag to the end of said nozzle, said stiffener member being afoldable elongated loop member.

5. In a disposable douche device for feminine hygiene an elongatedhollow cylindrical bag having an integral nozzle portion projecting atan angle therefrom at its lower end, said bag and nozzle portions ofthin flexible waterproof material; and a stiffener member disposedinternally of said hollow tubular nozzle portion, said nozzle portionhaving perforations in the sides thereof near an extending end thereof;means for retaining said stiffener member in said nozzle portion.

6. In a disposable douche device for feminine hygiene an elongatedhollow cylindrical bag having an integral nozzle portion projecting atan angle therefrom at its lower end, said bag and nozzle portions ofthin flexible Waterproof material; and a stiffener member disposedinternally of said hollow tubular nozzle portion, said nozzle portionhaving perforations in the sides thereof near an extending end thereof,said stiffener member having means to permit flow to opposite sides ofsaid nozzle portion thereby promoting free flow to said perforations.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,664,891 Kempel Jan. 5, 1954 2,850,915 B xt r Sept. 2, 1958 2,856,932Griifitts' Oct. 21, 1958

